yS BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



ent of soils, was present, but the tests revealed none. In 

 order to correct the acid condition of the soil and to insure 

 the right conditions for the nitrification of the ammonia, it 

 was decided that it would be best to lime a portion of all 

 three of the plats which received sulphate of ammonia and to 

 sow some garden soil upon one-half of each of the limed sec- 

 tions, the garden soil to be immediately mixed with the other 

 by cultivating. The idea of introducing the garden soil was 

 to make sure of the presence of the nitrifying organisms. 



Owing to doubt as to the probable success of the experi- 

 ment on the part of those in authorit}', it was not until late in 

 the season of 1891 that permission to undertake it was ob- 

 tained. It was then too late to introduce either the lime or 

 the garden soil into the soil of the field in a thorough manner 

 without injuring or destroying the crop of Indian corn already 

 upon the land. For this reason only slight indications of bene- 

 fit from liming were observed the first season. 



During the following winter it was shown by Miintz, a 

 French investigator, that the nitrifying organisms are prac- 

 cally present everywhere, even under the glaciers of the Alps 

 and in the interstices of the rock masses of the Faulhorn. For 

 this reason it was not deemed necessary to try further inocula- 

 tions with garden soil especially since proto-sulphate of iron, 

 which was said to be poisonous to these organisms, had been 

 shown not to be present. In the spring of 1892 a further ap- 

 plication of lime was made to the same sections of the three 

 plats which had been limed in 1891. Indian corn was again 

 planted. As soon as the corn was a foot or more in height it 

 was evident that a wonderful change had taken place, for now 

 the growth was better upon the limed areas, with each increase 

 of sulphate of ammonia. Upon the unlimed sections of the 

 plats the results continued to be poorer with each increase. 



The view upon the screen shows in the center three rows of 

 corn of the crop of 1893 where the "' two-thirds '' ration of sul- 

 phate of ammonia was used. The much better corn in the 

 background stood upon the limed sections of the plat. 



A nearer view of the corn where the lime was used shows 

 the benefit from liming in a more striking manner. 



The better growth with the full ration of sulphate of am- 

 monia, after liming, stands in striking contrast to the poorer 

 growth with the same ration before lime was applied. 



